[03/16/09 - 12:51 PM]Country Music Fans Everywhere Have the Power to Vote for Entertainer of the Year at the "44th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards" to Be Broadcast Live from Las Vegas Sunday, April 5 on the CBS Television NetworkEach nominee is also scheduled to perform, in addition to previously announced performers Toby Keith, Miranda Lambert, Tim McGraw, Heidi Newfield, Rascal Flatts, Sugarland and Taylor Swift.

[via press release from CBS]

COUNTRY MUSIC FANS EVERYWHERE HAVE THE POWER TO VOTE FOR ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR AT THE "44TH ANNUAL ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS" TO BE BROADCAST LIVE FROM LAS VEGAS SUNDAY, APRIL 5 ON THE CBS TELEVISION NETWORK

Each Entertainer of the Year Nominee is Scheduled to Perform on the Telecast

Beginning today, March 16, country music fans can vote online for Entertainer of the Year nominees Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley, George Strait, Keith Urban or Carrie Underwood for the 44TH ANNUAL ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS, to be broadcast live from Las Vegas' MGM Grand Garden Arena Sunday, April 5 (8:00-11:00 PM, live ET/delayed PT) on the CBS Television Network. Each nominee is also scheduled to perform, in addition to previously announced performers Toby Keith, Miranda Lambert, Tim McGraw, Heidi Newfield, Rascal Flatts, Sugarland and Taylor Swift.

Fan voting will continue through the last hour of the live awards show by logging onto http://www.voteacm.com/ or www.cbs.com/acma. Fans can also log onto www.cbs.com/acma to access videos and photos featuring the hottest country music stars, as well as information on all of this year's nominees.

Kenny Chesney is nominated for four awards, including Entertainer of the Year, Top Male Vocalist and as an artist and producer for Vocal Event of the Year for "Down the Road" with Mac McAnally. If Chesney wins Entertainer of the Year, it will be his fifth consecutive win, which will tie Alabama for the most consecutive wins in this category.

Brad Paisley is tied for the lead with six nominations, including Entertainer of the Year and Top Male Vocalist. In addition, Paisley was nominated for Single Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Video of the Year for "Waitin' on a Woman," and Vocal Event of the Year for "Start a Band" with Keith Urban. Paisley is the reigning Top Male Vocalist. If he takes home the Entertainer of the Year Award, he will be eligible for the Triple Crown Award, the Academy's recognition of those who have won Top New Artist, Top Artist and Entertainer of the Year awards.

George Strait is tied for the lead with six nominations, including Entertainer of the Year, Top Male Vocalist and Song of the Year for "I Saw God Today." He is also nominated for Video of the Year for "Troubadour." If Strait wins Entertainer of the Year, it will be his second win in that category, previously winning the award in 1989. Strait has also been named the Academy of Country Music's Artist of the Decade and will be honored in a television special to air later in the year on CBS. Strait is the most nominated artist in the history of the Academy of Country Music Awards with a total of 78 nominations.

Carrie Underwood is a six-time ACM award winner who is nominated for four awards, including Entertainer of Year. If Underwood wins Entertainer of the Year, she will be only the seventh female to take the award; previous winners include Loretta Lynn in 1975, Dolly Parton in 1977, Barbara Mandrell in 1980, Reba McEntire in 1994, Shania Twain in 1999 and most recently, Dixie Chicks in 2000. Additionally, if she takes home the honor, she will be eligible for the Triple Crown Award, the Academy's recognition of those who have won Top New Artist, Top Artist and Entertainer of the Year awards. Underwood is also nominated for Top Female Vocalist, Album of the Year and her video, "Just a Dream," is nominated for Video of the Year. If she wins Top Female Vocalist, it will be the third consecutive year she has won the category.

Keith Urban received three nominations, including Entertainer of the Year, Top Male Vocalist and Vocal Event of the Year for his duet with Brad Paisley, "Start a Band." Urban is a five-time ACM award winner, including Top Male Vocalist in 2004 and 2005, Album of the Year in 2004 and Top New Male Artist in 2000. If he wins Entertainer of the Year, he will be eligible for the Triple Crown Award, the Academy's recognition of those who have taken Top New Artist, Top Artist and Entertainer of the Year awards.

For up to the moment news about the show, please visit www.twitter.com/ACMAwards.

The 44TH Academy of Country Music Awards is dedicated to honoring and showcasing the biggest names and emerging talent in the country music industry. The show is produced for television by dick clark productions. Orly Adelson and R.A. Clark are the executive producers; Barry Adelman the producer and Bob Bardo the executive in charge of production.